Modern glass facades are often not only functional elements of a building but serve increasingly as a solar power generator. Customized solar modules allow the exact integration in building structures and profiles. Semitransparent solar cells but also opaque solar cells with transparent regions let photovoltaic glazings appear flooded with light. The solar cells provide the desired effect of sun and glare protection.
The production of such photovoltaic installations requires working conditions which are known from semiconductor and integrated circuit manufacturing. These conditions are called clean room conditions
Viewed from the outside, a photovoltaic module is a composition of a substrate plate made from glass, photovoltaic elements, a glass plate as top glass and a adhesive film which combines these elements under heat.
In a manufacturing process, the components, in particular the substrate plates and the top glass or the finished photovoltaic modules are transported and moved on conveyors to the respective destination in big fabrication plants. This can be done in several production lines at the same time.
If there is an unforeseeable interruption in such a production plant, the components to be processed next must be temporarily stored at a location. The process of storing these components temporarily must be carried out in a fast and safe manner so that the production process is not interrupted more than necessary.
The prior art reference DE 197 12 368 A1 discloses a process for moving objects from a first place to a second place whereas the object is connected to a holding mechanism while moved. The problem may be solved by a process for moving objects safely under any circumstances. The movable objects may be glass plates. The problem is solved by the fact that the drive up of the holding mechanism to the object to be moved to the first or second place takes into account the actual location and/or orientation of the object. The holding mechanism can be adjusted by taking advantage of the free rotating and/or pivoting of itself around one or more axes.
In the further apparatus claim 7 is in more detail disclosed that the object to be moved is a glass plate, the first place is a loader, the second place is a roller conveyor, and the holding mechanism is a vacuum frame. Moreover, the holding mechanism is also related to signaling device, a decoupling device, a detection device and a processing device. However, the reference does not disclose means for prompt and safe detection and a fast reception of larger glass plates.
DE 10 2005 060 452 A1 discloses an apparatus for manipulating of flat materials in the preamble of the first claim. The apparatus includes a support frame with at least one vacuum frame, arranged in a support frame, and vacuum heads to be evacuated for receiving flat materials to be sucked. The problem is solved by an apparatus for manipulating flat materials which can alternatively handle different formats as well as, for example, coated and uncoated flat materials. At the same time the apparatus has a simple design.
The invention, or rather the solution of this problem, is provided by the fact that the support frame is rotatable between a substantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal position wherein the support frame alternatively comprises a horizontal position with upward looking suction heads or a horizontal position with downward looking suction heads. This reference does not suggest means for fast and secure detection and means for speedy reception of large glass plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,197 shows a method for laying spacing ribs between pre-laminated glass panels. The prior art described in this reference shows that the ribs were manually inserted. Therefore, the objective is to provide this process automatically. With this in mind the glass plates are moved by vacuum elements and the ribs are moved by grippers and are released at a respective place. A particular speed and care seems not to be necessary for this process.